Horace r



.(No Model.) A I H. 'R.- ALLEN.

v ARTIFICIAL LIME. No. 549,889. Patented Nov. 19, 1895 '7/4b'i7aamed} A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. HoEAcE R. ALLEN, oE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ARTIFICIAL LlM B.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,889, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed February 1, 1895. Serial No. 536,930. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE R. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the construction of artificial limbs the practice has been to provide a shell of wood,

which is covered with rawhide to stiffen and strengthen it.

The object of this invention is to provide a shell of indurated fiber, which will be of less weight in proportion to its strength than any other material heretofore used, and to construct the shell in sections, whereby the same may be conveniently pressed and molded into shape,and whereby the length of the limb may be regulated by cutting off a portion before the sections are joined together.

The object also is to provide means for reinforcing the sections'at said joints, whereby said portions will be as strong or stronger than the balance of the limb.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism illustrated in the drawings and otherwise, as will be fully described and claimed.

Figure l of the drawings represents an artificial leg for an upper or thigh amputation and shows same in longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the band for strengthening the limb at the points where the sections are rigidly joined together.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A represents the shell from the knee up, B the shell from the knee to the ankle, and O the foot. These parts will be made from what is known as indurated fiber, which is composed of wood pulp, molded in suitable molds under hydraulic pressure and baked in the usual manner, whereby a strong, durable, and inexpensive shell of light weight and impervious to moisture is produced. For greater convenience in the process of manufacture the parts A and B will preferably be made in sections, divided transversely with relation to the length of the limb. The meeting edges of the joints will, preferably, be beveled and will be put together, so as to form a lap-joint, as shown at a in the drawings. The sections will be made for the maximum lengths of limbs, and where shorter lengths are desired the sections will be cut away to an extent sufficient to shorten the leg the desired amount.

D represents areinforcing band of sufficient width to reach to the full thickness of the material of the shell on both sides of the joint, and will unite the severed sections by being riveted thereto in the manner clearly shown in the drawings. In order to lighten the weight of the device, the material of the band between the rivets may be removed in the manner shown in Fig. 2. To stiifen the band and additionally strengthen the limb an inside web.D' may be formed. This may be a ring, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be a solid disk without the central opening. ably the band and web will be divided, as shown at (1, whereby the severed ends may be expanded or compressed in order to fit the band to different-sized limbs. The knee and ankle joints will be secured to the shell by means of bands constructed and applied in a manner similar to the bands for reinforcing the solid joints above described, and while affording a secure connection for the hinges of said joints, also serve to reinforce the shell at those points. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1, where it will be seen that the reinforcingband below the knee-joint is provided with an upwardly-extending lug terminating in a bearing for the part 3, shown in cross-section of the portion above the kneejoint, thus forming a hinge for said joint. Elastic straps or cords E will be applied in the usual manner and will be secured to the shell by means of the studs e, formed integral with the shell for that purpose.

I have shown and described an artificial leg; but it is apparent that the same principle of construction will apply to the construction of arms as well, and both are included in my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An artificial limb made of hollow sections Preferof indurated wood pulp molded and compressed into shape, said sections being suitably united at their ends substantially as described.

2. An artificial limb having the portions between the flexible joints of the limb divided crosswise into a plurality of parts, in combination with a reinforcing band placed upon the inside of the shell opposite the meeting ends of said parts and having the ends of said parts secured thereto in the manner substantially as described.

In an artificial limb in which the sections between the flexible joints are in a plurality of parts, the combination with said parts of a reinforcing band placed within the leg and HORACE R. ALLEN. Witnesses:

J osnrrr A. MINTURN, G. L. SULLIVAN. 

